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PATENTED FEB. 23, 1904.

's. W. WARDWELL.

YARN CONTROLLER.

APPLIOATION FITED DEC. 5. 1901.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

ATTUHNEYS cc, FHQTU-LIYHO WASNINGTO PATENTED FEB. 23, 1904.

8. W. WARDWELL.

YARN CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5. 1901.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

INVENTOB ATTORNEYS m: NORiIS Pzrcns m. woroumu. WASNINGTDN. n, n,

No. 752,813. PATENTED FEB. 23, 1904. s. w. WARDWBLL. YARN CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 5, 1901.

no MODEL. I 5 SHEETS-SHEET s.

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S. W. WARDWELL.

YARN CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED D20. 5, 1901.

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N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED FEB. 23, 1904..

No. 752,813. PATENTED FEB. 23, 1904.

' S. W. WARDWELL.

YARN CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED 111:0. 5, 1901.

no MMMM L. 5 sums-sauce a.

INVENTOB.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented February 23, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

YARN-CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,813, dated February23, 1904. Application filed December 5, 1901. Serial 110,8 1,825. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON W. WARDWELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State ofRhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improved Yarn-Controller,of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to yarn-controllers for textile machinery, andparticularly to devices for use on doubling-machines such as areemployed in the manufacture of threads.

The purpose of my invention is to provide improved devices forindependently regulating the tension on each of the several yarns in adoubling means whereby said tensionregulating devices may be quickly andreadily threaded without particular care and with the least possiblemovement andexertion on the part of the operator, and devices to causethe winding to be arrested when a bunch or slub occurs in any one of theseveral yarns.

The following specification fully sets'forth my invention and manner ofits operation, and the annexed drawings, forming a part of the saidspecification, represent, respectively, in-j- Figure 1, the front viewof a winding-machine fitted for doubling or Winding a plurality of yarnstogether and my new devices applied to said machine; Fig. 2, a sideview.

of the stop-motion of the machine in conjunction with my new device;Figs. 3 and 4, de-

tails of the slub-detector; Figs. 5, 6, and 7 details of the tensionsand of their arrangement; Fig. 8, a view, partly in section, on the line1 1, Fig. 2, showing the arrangement and manner of adjusting thesupplies; Fig. 9, aview in perspective of the fixed tension member d,showing the thread-groove 23; and Fig. 10, a view in perspective of themovable tension member o. I

The preferred embodiment of my invention is used in conjunction withstop-motion devices such as are described in my United States Pat,

passing through them. The yarn tension is,

however, not applied and controlled by means An important feature of mydevice is the I slub-detector, which when a slub occurs is moved to actupon the tension device to cause the release of the tension of the yarn,thus affecting the stopping of the winding and Without breaking theyarn.

In doubling yarn for the manufacture of threads the maintenance ofuniform tension on the individual yarns and the elimination of slubs andmotes are essential to a perfect thread product. It is for this class ofwork that my improvement is particularly devised. For convenience theterm slub will be employed to designate any abnormalenlargement of theyarn whether it be a bunch of fiber incorporated in the yarn, a largeknot, or any similar defect which would cause a bunch in the finishedproductand which must be removed or remedied by breaking or at least bystopping the yarn. The term mote applies only to bits of foreign matterwhich cling to its surface and can be stripped or removed withoutstopping or breaking the yarn.

Referring in detail to my invention, the yarn'controller comprises twotension members separable one from the other to receive the yarn andadapted to be pressed toward each other by suitable means to applyfriction or resistance to the movement of the yarn. As shown in theaccompanying drawings,both members are mounted on a common rod 18, thatis supported in the portions 16 and 17 of the bracket K. One ofthemembers, d, is fixed, secured from turning about the rod 18 by thescrew 19 passing through the ear 20 into the bracket K. The othermember, 0, is movable, adapted to be swung toward the fixed member 61 bymeans of weights hung on the arm 15, connectedto the member '0. Eachtension member comprises a body portion of grid form, two ears throughwhich the supportingrod is passed, and a guide portion to receive theyarn and direct it to the grid. The guide portion comprises a narrowedge or rim 21,

extending from end to end of the member, bowing outward at itsmid-portion and joined at its mid-portion with the body of the member bythe tie-piece 22. The bars of the grid portion are of rectangularsection with substantially square corners, the latter being justsufliciently rounded to remove any sharpness that might abrade or cutthe yarn. They are disposed in such manner that when the two members aremounted together the bars of one member alternate with those of theother, so that when a yarn is passed and pressed between them it iscaused to travel in a sinuous path, Fig. 7 causing resistance to its"movement and tension on the yarn as it is drawn from the members. Thedegree of tension im-' parted depends on the degree of sinuosity of theyarns path of travel both as regards the amplitude of deflections andtheir number. For fine yarns the best results are obtained from manydeflections of slight amplitude,

' for the yarn is thus subjected to less strain.

As indicated in the term controller, the

members 0 and d serve to regulate the ten sion and control the deliveryof the yarn, as well as to apply it. Acertain amount of tension isincident to the drag of the yarn on the surface of the supply,,-packageas it'is unwound. When this drag is at its minimum,

the tension members are pressed tightly together, imparting the maximumamount of v When an increase in resistance occurs at the supply, thetension memtension to the yarn.

bers yield, permitting the yarn to straighten and the tension todecrease at the point where the yarn passes through the members. Thebars of the grids are made with substantially square corners that theymay more certainly engage and knock from the rapidly-moving yarn' anymotes that may cling to it. Were the bars materially rounded,especially-on the edges over which the yarn passes, the motes would notbe removed, but would ride over the bars. The bars of one grid do notpass those of the other, their movement beinglimited by the contact ofthe two tension members. Hence only a limited degree of tension can beapplied. This is desirable in handling fine yarn, especially in workwhere uniforr'nityof tension on several yarns is the essential end to beattained and not a high degree of tension on individual yarns. The guideportion of each member is so curved from the plane of the grid portionthat when the two members are mounted together a flar ing trough orchannel is formed, into which ports a guide f, through which the yarn isled to the tension members. The other, 17 is of such height that its topand the surface of the guide f, over which the yarn draws, aline withthe groove in the bars of the tension members and serve to insure thatthe yarn shall in threading be drawn down to the groove and nofarther.The guide f is preferably formed of wire. As shown in the drawings, itis formed of a loop the sides of which extend parallel for a shortdistance, then diverge,forming a means for readily threading, of thesame general shape as formed by the guides of the tensionmembers,-and,'finally, return in a reversed curve past the guide-loop astwo legs 24 24, which enter appropriate socketsin the projection 16.

Between the guide f and the tension members is the detector a,consisting of a slotted plate with'two earslOlO, a yarn-slot 11, and aprojecting portion 12, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 6. Theprojecting portion 12 is 10f substantially triangular shape and isformed at an angle with the face ofthe body 9 and with its extremeportion 13 formed substantially at a right angle to the body 9aforesaid. The detector is mounted by'the ears 1O 10 on the rod orpin g,which in turn is mounted in the legs of the guide f. The extremity 13 isposed in such relation to the tension members that when swung towardthem it enters between them, and the inclined portion of the projection12 forces them apart. When the pressure which rocked the detector isremoved, the reaction of the closing tension members forces the detectorback to'its normal position, where it rests against the loop portion ofguide f, as shownin' full lines,

Fig. 2. The entrance to the yarn slot is rounded and flared, so that itmay be readily threaded, and the latter operation is further aided bythe close proximity of the detector when in its normal'position tothe'guide f.

The tension members, guide f, and detector 00 are mounted near the topof a bracket K. Immediately beneath them is the supplyholder m. That thesupplies may bereplenished as rapidly as possible, it is essential thatthe supply-holders m be in such position and so arranged that theoperator may replace empty tubes and bobbins with the least possiblemovementor exertion. Tothis end the supplies are raised as highas'possible, and the tension devices are also inclined that the operatormay lay the yarn in place without the exercise of special care. Theirinclination also permits the supplies to be raised higher than would bepossible were the tension members vertical. The supply is carried at thebottom of the depending arm 7c of the bracket K on a spindle Z, whichmay be of any form appropriate to the form of supply employed. ThespindleZ is secured in the bracket or supply-holder m, mounted on thestud n, to be rocked thereon when desired. An ear 0, projecting from theportion 70 of the arm 70, carries a stop-screw 9, against which the faceswings.

passes intothe detector at.

of the supply-holder bears and which limits the movement of thesupply-holder under the action of its projecting counterweight portiona". The extremity Z2 of the depending arm It, to which the supply-holderis attached, is offset, as indicated in Fig. 8, so that the supplyholderis in line with the body of the arm is, bringing its spindle Z in linewith the tensions above and its counterweight portion r in such positionthat its movement is limited by the arm in, as indicated by the dottedlines in Fig. 2. The screw 19 serves not only as a stop for thesupply-holder, but also as a means for adjusting the alinement of thespindle Z with the guide f.

The bracket K, which carries the yarn-controlling and supply-holdingdevices, is mounted on a bracket H in such relation to the dropwire 26that the thread-eye of the latter is in line with the axis on which thebracket K The latter can then be swung into any desired position withoutdisturbing the relation between the guide f, the thread-line in thetension members 0 and d, and the dropwire 26.

Mydevice is operated as follows: Yarn is applied by tilting the spindleZ forward to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. Whenthe yarn has been applied, the spindle is returned to its normalposition by the counterweight portion 0, limited in its movement by thestop-screw p. The yarn is drawn from the supply by the operator into theguide f and laid in the tension members cand d. As it enters the guide fthe yarn also From the tension members the yarn is led to-the drop-wire26 and thence to the winding mechanism. On starting the winding thesudden pull on the yarn applies sufficient tension to draw it betweenthe tension members and raise the dropwire 26, and so quickly is theformer done that the drop-wire is not only raised, but is maintained inits raised position. As motes occur on the yarn they are knocked off bycontact with the edges of the grid-bars. When a slub occurs, it isunable to pass the slot in the detector, but engages the latter to rockit into engagement with the tension members. The extremity 13- entersbetween the two members, and the inclined portion 12 forces the movableone back, relieving the yarn of its tension and permitting the drop-wire26 to fall to effect the stopping of the winding.

The detector rocks so far forward that the slub rides out of theyarn-slot, continuing its movement with the yarn until the latter stops.The operator removes the slub from the yarn in which it occurs, piecesthe yarn, and proceeds with the winding.

By employing the devices above described a superior product is obtained.The quality of the thread is enhanced by the removal of unsightlymotes-such as dirt, bits of husk, &c.by the elimination of bunches,large knots, and similar defects without entailing unnecessary waste ora large quantity of knots and by the uniform tension of the componentyarns, whereby the defect known as corkscrew twist is overcome. Thislatter defect is caused by inequalities in the tension, which result inone yarn lying on the surface of the thread and following the twistabout it in a spiral. It is a defect inherent in all doubling processeswhere a pad tension is employed. The pads become worn in such mannerthat one yarn may receive the full degree of tension, while itsneighbor, running over a worn portion, receives scarcely any. Further, apad tension is unyielding and provides no compensation for theirregularities due to drawing the yarn from the supply. The tension onthe yarn is always. the tension due to the pad plus the tension at thesupply, increasing with each increase of resistance at the supply anddecreasing with diminution of resistance there. In my device theyarn-controller or tension mechanism acts as a compensator. When thetension or drag at the supply increases, the tension members yield anddiminish the amount of tension they apply. When the resistance at thesupply lessens,increased tension is applied at the controller.

Slotted slub-stoppers have been used before, but they have been securedrigidly to the machine, and their efiicacy depended on breaking the yarnwhen a slub occurred, and thus causing the winding or other operation tobe arrested. The yarn seldom or never broke at or near the slub, andhence unnecessary waste was caused. Frequently it broke so close to thepackage wound that the broken end would run in. It was then necessary tobreak all the yarns, unwind them until the lost end was found, and retiethem all. This consumed time, inasmuch as the yarns could not be tiedtogether in a bunch-knot, neither could they be tied separately with,the knots at substantially the same point in the doubling Either methodof tying mentioned would cause as bad or worse a defect in the finishedproduct as would a slub. Each yarn must be tied individually and thevarious knots so separated in the length of the product as not tomaterially affect its appearance.

The supply devices are particularly compact and convenient, so compactthat they are brought close up to the tension devices, and are thus themore readily accessible. The

operator need not stoop each time the supply must be replenished.Because of its form and manner of mounting supplies of various diametersmay be employed without interfering one with the other.

I do not limit myself to a detector pivoted or movably secured in anyspecial way or to any special means whereby the movement of thedetector: actuates the tension device, nor in this connection to atension device of any special form; nor do I limit myself to any specialcharacter of stop device or means of putting the same into action.

While the devices constituting my invention have been described withparticular reference to the operations of thread manufacture, they mayobviouslybe employed in other textile work. I therefore do not limitmyself to the precise form of structure hereinbefore described; but

' WVhat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination with a stoppingdevice for textile-machines in which a drop-wire is sustained by theyarn passing through it, of a detector through which the yarn firstpasses, and which is adapted to be moved by the engagement therewith ofa slub, and means actuated by the detector to relieve the sustainingefiect of the yarn, to cause said drop-wire to act to effect thestopping of the machine, and allow the slub to passby the detectorwithout breaking the yarn.

2. Thecombination with a stop-motion dropwire which, when dropped,causes the stopping of the machine and which is sustained and withheldfrom effecting said stopping by the yarn passing through it, of adetector adapted to be engaged and moved by a slub to cause thedrop-wire to fall and effect the stopping of the machine withoutbreaking the yarn.

3. The combination with a stop-motion dropwire which, when dropped,efiects the stopping of the machine, but which is sustained and withheldfrom thus effecting the stopping by the tension of the yarn passingthrough it, of devicesfor applying and controlling the yarn tension anda detector through which the yarn is drawn and which is adapted to beengaged and moved by a slub to release the 'tension on the yarn, andeffect the stopping of the machine without breakage of the yarn, bypermitting the drop-wire to fall. r

4:. The combination with the drop-wire of a stopping device fortextile-machines which, when dropped, efiects the stopping of themachine but which, during the operation of the machine, is sustained andwithheld from effecting such stopping by the, tension of the yarnpassing through it, of devices for applying and controlling saidtension, comprising two members pressed together by; suitable means, adetector through which the yarn passes, adapted to be engaged by a'sluband rocked thereby to engage and separate the two tension members torelease the tension on the yarn and permit the drop-wire to fall toeffect the stopping of the machine Without breaking the yarn.

5. The combination with the drop-wire of a stop-motiondevice fortextile-machines, of yarn-controlling devices, comprising two tensionmembers pressed together uponthe yarn, a guide through which the yarn isdrawn into the tension members, of a slotted plate intermediate theguide and the tension members, having a projection of substantiallytriangular shape, so formed that, when the plate is rocked by a slub,the said extension enters between the members aforesaid and separatesthem to relieve the yarn of its tension, and when the slub has passedthe detector, the latter is returned to its normal position by thereclosing of said members;

6. The combination of a yarn-controlling device of twomembers adapted tobe pressed together to put tension on the yarn, of a swinging slottedplate adapted to be moved by a slub to engage and separate said membersto relieve the yarn of its tension in the manner and for the purposessubstantially as described. i

7. The combination in a yarn-controlling device having two tensionmembers adapted to be pressed toward each other, of a guide mounted ontwo legs adjacent the tensions, with a swinging plate, mounted betweensaid legs on a pin passing throughthe'legs, having a narrow slot of justsufficient width to be engagedby a slub to be rocked'and caused toengage and separate said'tensionmembers, to release the tension on theyarn.

8. The combination with the stop-motion drop-wire 26 of two'yarn-tensionmembers 0 and 03, one fixed, the other mounted to-be swung and pressedagainst the fixed member, and both so flared at their outer edges as toform a guide to direct the yarn to its proper position between themembers, a swinging slub-detector a, formed with a projection 12 toengage the movable tension, whereby when the slub-detector is rockedtoward the tension members, the movable member is separated from thefixed one, and when'the movable member is swung toward thefixed member,the slub-detector is returned to its normal position. r I

9. The combination with a stop-motion dropwire 26, "of two tensionmembers, one, d,fixed, and the other, '0, mounted to be swung-andpressed against the fixed member, and both formed to divergefrom eachother at their outer edges, to serve'as a guide for the-yarn inthreading, a guide f through and over which the yarn'passe's asit entersthetensions, a swinging slotted slub-detector amounted to normally standagainst the guide f, and with a projection 12 engaging the swingingtension member whereby, when the slub-detector is rocked, the swingingtension member 0 is separated from the fixed tension member d in themanner and for the purpose Substantially as described.

10. A yarn-controller comprising two tension members of grid form, withthe bars of one member alternating with the bars of the other, and witha thread-groove out transversely across the bars of one or both members.r

11. A yarn-controller comprising two tension members, each having aportion of grid form and a curved guide portion, one member fixed andthe other movable to and from the fixed member; and having an arm bywhich it is swung toward the fixed member, and one or .both membershaving a thread-groove cut transversely across the bars of the gridportion.

12. A movable tension member for a yarncontroller comprising in onepiece a flat grid portion, two ears turned at right angles to said gridportion, having holes to receivea.

rod and so formed that the axis of the rod lies in the plane of the faceof said grid portion, a guide portion curved backward from the face ofsaid grid portion, and an arm to which weight is applied to actuate thetension substantially as described.

13. A fixed tension member for a yarn-controller comprising inone-piece, a flat grid portion, two ears turned at right angles to saidgrid portion, having holesto receive a rod and so formed that the axisof the rod lies in the plane of the face of said grid portion, a guideportion curved backward from the face of said grid portion, and an earwhereby the member is secured from turning on said rod, substantially asdescribed.

1 1. In a yarn-controller, the combination with the drop-wire of astop-motion mechanism having an eye or guide through which the yarnpasses, of a bracket mounted to be swung about an axis in line with theeye of said dropwire, separable tensions mounted on the top of thebracket, and a tilting supply-holding device mounted at the bottom ofthe bracket.

15. In a yarn-controller, the combination with the drop-wire of astop-motion mechanism having, an eye or guide through which the yarnpasses, of a bracket mounted to swing on an axis that is in line withthe eye of the drop-wire, separable tension members mounted on the topof the bracket, 2. guide through which the yarn is conducted to thetensions, a detector between the guide and the tensions adapted to beengaged by a slub to open the tensions, and to be rockedto allow theslub to pass on, and after it has passed, then to be returned to itsnormal position by the reaction of the tension members, and acounterweighted supply-holding device mounted at the bottom of saidbracket, substantially as described.

16. A bracket K for a yarn controller, adapted to be swung about asubstantially vertical axis, bearings at the top for tension V andguiding devices, a depending arm curved forward at its bottom and havingits extremity is offset, and at said extremity, a bearing for the stud nand an ear for an adjustable stopscrew 19, a supply-holder m mounted tobe rocked on said stud, having a face q opposed to the stop-screw p, anda counterweight por.- tion 0" to hold the face q against said stopscrew,and a supply holding spindle 'Z secured in said supply-holder,substantially as described. i

17. The combination with the bracket K for a yarn-controller, havingbearings at its top for separable tension members and yarnguidingdevices, and a depending arm having its extremity 74 offset, and at saidextremity an ear 0, a stop-screw p in said ear, abearing for a stud'n,acounterweight'ed supply-holder m mounted on the stud and susceptible ofbeing rocked but limited in its movement in one direction by the contactof the counterweight portion rwith'thearmkof the bracket K, and in theother direction by its contact with the adjustable stop-screwp, andaspindle Z adapted to be adjusted in its alinement with the entrance tothe tensions by said stopscrew.

18. A yarn-controlling device, comprising with a bracket K, having atits top two projections, 16, and 17 and atits bottom a depending arm 70,a rod 18 mounted in the two projections and, mounted on said rod, two

separable tension members 0 and d, each having a portion of grid form,with the bars of one member alternating with those of the other, and athread-groove cut transversely across the bars of one or both membersand means for pressing the two members together, a guide f mounted inthe projection 16, with the eye of said guide and the top of theprojection 17 in line with the thread-groove in the bars of the tensionmembers, a counterweighted supply-holder m pivotally mounted at thebottom of the arm In, aspindle Zin said 1 holder to retain theyarn-supply, and a stopscrew 10 to limit the movement of thesupplyholder and aline its spindle with the entrance to the tensionmembers, substantially as described. j

19. A slub-detector for a yarn-controller, having two ears 10, 10, aslot 11, and a sub stantially triangularly-shaped projection 12.

20. A slub-detector for a yarn-controller, with two separable tensionmembers, having two ears, 10, 10, a slot 11, and a projection 12, soformed that, when the detector is moved toward the two members, theprojection 12 enters between and separates them, and, when the twomembers of the controller are brought together, the detector is returnedto its normal position.

21. A slub-detector for a yarn-controller, having two ears, 10, 10, ayarn-slot 11, with flared opening to readily receive the yarn, and aprojection 12 to engage the separable members of a yarn-controllingdevice, so formed that when the detector is rocked by engagement with aslub, it opens said separable members, and when the slub has passed thedetector, the reclosing of said members forces the detector back toits'normal position.

22. A slub-detector for a yarn-controller,

. having two ears 10, 10, a yarn-slot'll, with flared opening to readilyreceive the yarn, a projection 12 formed at an angle with the body ofthe detector, and having an extremity 18 formed at substantially rightangles 'to' the body of the detector, and adapted to enter betweenthetwo members of a yarn-controlling device, to engage the inclinedportion12 in the manner and for the purpose, substantially as described.

23. The combination in a yarn-controllingdevice of two tension members,each comprising in one piece parallel lateral bars and 'portions wherebythe member is pivotally mounted, and in such manner that the bars of onemember alternate those of the other, and means to yieldingly press arunning thread between said bars to sinuate the path of the yarn asdescribed. 2

24. The-combination in a yarn-controlling device, of twotension memberseach comprising in one piece, parallel lateral bars, with athread-groove cut transversely across them,

portions whereby the member is pivotally mounted and in such relation toits mate that the bars of one member alternate with those of the other,and means whereby the members are so pressed together that a threadrunning through the thread-groove of the bars is diverted from itsstraight course to follow a" sinuous path of travel. 1 7

25. The combination with the stop'device of a textile-machine, and. withthe drop-wire thereof supported by the thread, of a-tension moved by theengagement of a slub therewith,

thereby to cause the separation of the tension members.

- 27. A slub-detector, constructed for pivotal connection and providedwith a thread-groove and projection for actuating atension device,substantially as described.

28. The combination in a yarn-controlling device, of two tension memberseach comprising-inxone piece parallel lateral bars, with a thread-groovecut transversely across them, portions whereby the member is pivotallymounted and in such relation to its mate that the bars of one memberalternate with those of the other, and means whereby the members are sopressed together that athread running through the thread-groove of thebars is diverted from its straight course to follow a sinuous path oftravel. 29. Ayarn-controller, comprisingtwo members pressed yieldinglytoward each other, each having portions which alternate and cooperatewith similar portions on the other, to sinuate the yarn as it travelsbetween the members, said portions of one or botlnmembers having formedacross them a groove or guideway for the yarn.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SIMON W. WARDWELL.

